South Sudan army suspends disarmament operation in Pibor to hunt rebels

October 30, 2012 (JUBA) - South Sudan has decided to cease conducting civilian disarmament operation activities in Jonglei’s Pibor County, instructing the army to take “sweeping measures” to clear the area of rebels, multiple senior military officers and top-level government officials said on Tuesday.

SPLA soldiers at Bor Airport leaving for Pibor to hunt for David Yau Yau’s militias, July 4, 2012 (ST)

The decision to suspend hunting for illicit arms held by civilians in Pibor County was necessitated by increased attacks rebels loyal to David Yau Yau, a militia leader who has been fighting the army (SPLA) in the area on and off since April 2010.

Major General Butrous Bol Bol, told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday that the disarmament operation’s commander "has received instructions from the [SPLA] general headquarters to suspend the disarmament program in Pibor County. The reason for suspension is the existence of David Yauyau militia group in the area.”

Bol, who commands the SPLA’s division eight in Jonglei, responsible for provision and protection of lives and properties of citizens in the area, said that the move will allow the army to concentrate on its fight to contain rebel activities in the area.

The senior officer added that “a notification” alerting the local population about the SPLA’s has been issued so it does not cause “panic”.

“Local authorities, particularly the Pibor County Commissioner [Joshua Konyi Irer] has been informed. He will in turn pass this information to chiefs and the general population about it and now armed groups found in the area will have to explain themselves”, he said.

The general said that Pibor was becoming "a front-line" for rebel activities, calling on civilian population to cooperate with the army in providing information about rebel activities.

“Yauyau is not only fighting the army but also killing civilians. So he is actually becoming an enemy of the whole country. He has been attacking SPLA positions ever since he started his rebellion”, he said.

In April this year Yauyau rebelled for a second time having joined the SPLA in 2011 having originally taken up arms against South Sudan’s ruling party - the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) after elections - in April 2010 when, as an independent candidate, he lost his campaign to represent the Gumuruk–Boma constituency in Pibor County at the Jonglei State Assembly.

The SPLM candidate, Judy Jokongole, won the race by a wide margin according to electoral authorities. Before his failed election bid Yauyau studied theology in Southern Sudan and Kenya and then served as the Pibor County secretary of the South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission in Jonglei.

Yauyau hails from the Murle ethnic group, which is based in Pibor County where he carried out most of his activities during his first rebellion. A report from the Sudan Human Security Baseline Assessment (HSBA) of the Small Arms Survey said last year that Yauyau’s initial rebellion may have been more about internal Murle politics than electoral grievances.

The Murle, Luo Nuer, and Dinka as well as some other tribes in Jonglei were involved in series of raids and counter raids for cattle, bounty and revenge that escalated dramatically at the turn of the year, displacing over 100,000 people.

A disarmament campaign has been underway in Jonglei since mid-March involving 15,000 SPLA soldiers and police in an attempt to disarm the civilian population. In the past disarmament campaigns have entrenched the Murle’s disaffection with the SPLM and SPLA and their perception that they are marginalised at a national level, according to the a 2011 by the Small Arms Survey research group.

The report 2011 said: "Murle discontent and general insecurity in Pibor county have proved to be fertile ground for such a revolt, and the area is one where the SPLA has failed to assert and extend its authority, beyond the conduct of brutal disarmament campaigns that have served to stoke local discontent."

At the time of Yauya’s second rebellion the SPLA’s spokesperson Philip Aguer said that the rebel group would have no meaningful effect on South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in July 2011.

Since independence in July 2011 Juba has repeatedly claimed that Khartoum backs southern rebels in an attempt to destabilise the young nation.

Unlike other figures who led insurrections after the 2010 elections Yauyau was a civilian and not a member of the army before his rebellion - although when he reconciled with Juba in 2011 he was given the position of General in the SPLA.

(ST)

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31 October 2012 06:16, by Emporio

Betrayal is common for men with no conscience this guy call David yau yau betrayal people of south sudan and his tribe i dont know what SPLAM were wating for late decision that guy supposed to be in hell by now

Wang&Midit,
Your general is in jail in undisclosed location because he has sponsored the killing of Murle civilians last year.You were making noise while not knowing the cause of him being jail. He will serve his life imprisonment because he provide weapons and ammunition to Nuer while army militia against civilians. Good luck with your short sighted dull mentality that has murky thinking.

George Bol
For information no Nuer general was provided or sponsored the killing of poor Murle. The main guns suppliers to Lou-Nuer youth is governor Kuol followed by former notorious rebel George Athor.

Don’t you foolish Nuer son denial the reality here, I know what has happend from that day upto now, both Gatwech Duel and Bol Kong support the killing of murle civilaince by provided weapon and orders to so called evil white animals, they will be tought a good lesson that they will never forget,
Bol know exactly what is going on here in this country, some of you will number come back here, foolish

Look at this ghetto saying fighting DAVID YAU is not easy! Fool, didnt you know SPLA when the defeated all of your ANYAGATES till emancipation? Go ahead SPLA. Crushing these agents of Khartoum is at best. Nuer’s ideas are always parallel. They might thought of selling PIBOR to Ethiopia. Becos they are our women who can’t fight like they did while ago during c-war.

Wang,
We will be watching the developments in Jonglei very closely with keen interest. Those guys who are making noise of empty vessels do not know what they will soon get themselves into. It is coming!

You will hear the capturing of David Yau within 3 weeks.
I am very sure for that because when SPLM/A called it a last word, the remaining opening space is the sky and withing 21 days,David Yau Yau will be report dead or capture. Mark that in your calender. Thanks

Damn right MR. BOL.
Our course, SPLA always kill its STABBERS through clangs. No AMNESTY or mercy in a meantime except when report yourself unconditionally like DR RIEK so we used him politically against anyagates. David Yoyo will be miss in days regardless of cowards [nuers] who said, fighting him is difficult.

The decision taken on time saves a lot. I think our civilians had better not to kill themselves. What we want is peace & unity.Government should not panic again since they were leaving some commanders to join politics with their military ranks to confuse and complicate situations as of now. I hate those foolish ideologies and Actions!!!!

Before operation, SPLA has already deployed in Pachala to other side of the river, to Ethiopia border, to the desert of Tingili and the entire border of Jongeli and Upper Nile. Just listen for what I told you!

Since some delusional community cannot live without deception, they will provide themselves with doom and evil of their own making. They will believe in witchcraft and sorcery, even though they may otherwise they will be a heretic, an atheist, and a rebel because most books on witchcraft will tell you that witches work naked in every way but . This is because most books on witchcraft were written

by men like you and me, I am better be dead than believed on fault mistaken wrong ideologies witchcraft which has brought nothing but doom to the particular community, Jesus will punish you every day until you accept that there is no other gods but God in heaven,Why can’t it help those who are roosting in jail and in detention centres and those we killed during their gatism if it was existed aha?

by men like you and me, I am better be dead than believed on fault mistaken wrong ideologies witchcraft which has brought nothing but doom to the particular community, Jesus will punish you every day until you accept that there is no other gods but God in heaven,Why can’t it help those who are roosting in jail and in detention centres and those we killed during their gatism if it was existed aha?

Mr Mangoor: Wow! Are you still under your illusions? Do you know the relationship of Jesus Christ with any Human beings?
E yin menh Jiok who spends all his working hours insulting Nuer and it will kill you of course with its deep and mad thinking in your mind! Death to you

Mr Mangoor: Wow! Are you still under your illusions? Do you know the relationship of Jesus Christ with any Human beings?
E yin menh Jiok who spends all his working hours insulting Nuer and it will kill you of course with its deep and mad thinking in your mind! Death to you

Mr Mangoor: Wow! Are you still under your illusions? Do you know the relationship of Jesus Christ with any Human beings?
E yin menh Jiok who spends all his working hours insulting Nuer and it will kill you of course with its deep and mad thinking in your mind! Death to you

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